Nitish Kumar Reddy played a heroic knock, scoring his maiden Test century against Australia in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, rescuing India in a crucial situation. Coming in at No. 8 with India at 191/6, Reddy showed remarkable composure and built a crucial 127-run partnership with Washington Sundar for the eighth wicket, steering India to 354/9 by the end of Day 3.
Reddy’s century, achieved with a boundary off Scott Boland, not only helped India avoid the follow-on but also made him the third youngest Indian to score a maiden Test century in Australia, following Sachin Tendulkar and Rishabh Pant. At 21 years and 216 days, Reddy joins an exclusive list of players who have achieved this milestone, showcasing his potential and temperament on the big stage.
This partnership also marked the second-highest eighth-wicket stand for India in Australia. Play was called off early due to rain, with India still trailing Australia by 120 runs.